The Confrontation
by kenpogirl
Summary: Natalia finally returns from her retreat. What will happen when she and Olivia come face-to-face once again? Otalia romance.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer : **I own **nothing** of the characters or show. P&G gets those bragging rights. I'm just having fun with them.

**Author's Note : **So, TPTB are determined that Nat should be pregnant, huh? Sweet! Watch me turn the tables on these fools!!

**THE CONFRONTATION**

As far as Olivia Spencer is concerned, this had simply been another in a loooooooooooooooong series of absolutely _miserable_ days. In the past three weeks, she'd landed two multi-million dollar accounts, she'd received rave reviews from guests regarding the new amenities (i.e. the new spa and gym) which the Beacon was now offering, the entirety of her staff was working like a well-oiled machine, profits were up 15%, _and _she'd already booked all four of the new luxury suites which had just been completed by maintenance three days prior. In short, it was a living hell.

Every day was a living hell when she was in this much unrelenting emotional pain. The cause of her pain? The absence of one sweet and gorgeous Latina, not only in her hotel, but more importantly, in her life. The hotel owner hadn't even had an excuse to yell at anyone in over a week, much to her dismay. She stomps out of the elevator towards her suite, her workday done, agitation evident in every step. She yanks her cardkey angrily out of her pocket along with her set of other keys, she swipes the cardkey hastily, shoves her door open unnecessarily hard, walks in, turns around and slams the door violently. She takes three steps inside and pitches her key ring against the wall with all her might. Her chest heaves with emotion, and now that she is alone, she finally stops fighting the tears that are welling up in her eyes. She starts to crumble. She slowly makes her way to the couch and curls up on it in the fetal position as the tears slip down her face. It has become a nightly ritual.

The beautiful hotelier remains there, immobile and unblinking, in the dark, in the dead silence, for over an hour. Though her breathing and heart rate slow, the tears continue to pour from her emerald eyes incessantly. She is powerless to stop them as her mind refuses to deviate. It is stuck on the Natalia channel. All Natalia, all the time.

Suddenly, there's a knock at the door. At first, she ignores it. The knocking resumes. She ignores the second series of knocks as well, but when there's a third series of knocks, an incredulous Olivia bolts up to a sitting position, roughly dries the tears from her face, and screams at the top of her lungs.

**OLIVIA **: "_WHOEVER'S KNOCKING, YOU HAVE EXACTLY TWO SECONDS TO RUN FOR YOUR LIFE BEFORE I GO OUT THERE AND__** RIP YOUR THROAT OUT**__!!" _

Believing that her point has been made, Olivia starts to settle back down on the couch with an exasperated huff until she hears the quiet zzzzzzzztt of a cardkey being swiped at her door. At first, she's not sure she heard correctly, but upon seeing the handle turn and the door beginning to swing open, she knows she was not mistaken. She leaps to her feet, roughly grabs a slender, silver candle holder from the coffee table and clutches it at her side, her knuckles going white from the force, ready to smash it over the head of whichever poor soul might be foolhardy enough to invade her privacy as well as her very dwelling. An instant later, however, the candleholder slips from the green-eyed woman's hand, she goes slack jawed, and her entire body threatens to go limp from shock upon recognizing the intruder, which happens to be the love of her life, the woman she's been missing painfully for the past three weeks. Natalia Rivera steps into the room meekly, almost fearfully. Truth be told, part of Olivia wants nothing more than to walk over, take the gentle brunette in her strong arms, and kiss her within an inch of her life. However, the green-eyed woman feels hurt and betrayed that just before they were to take a huge step forward in their relationship, the younger woman had simply vanished, leaving her best friend thoroughly confused and bitter. The older woman's pride takes control and she stands steadfast on her anger, refusing to speak first.

**NATALIA **(hesitantly, cautiously): "H-hi, Liv."

**OLIVIA **(incredulously) : "Hi, Liv? You disappear without so much as a good-bye just before we're supposed to announce to the whole town, most importantly Emma, that we're a couple, I don't hear a single word from you for three whole weeks, that entire time I have no idea where you are, what you're doing, or why, and now you waltz in here unannounced, uninvited and it's just… Hi, Liv? Are you _kidding_ me? Do you have _**any **_idea…"

Olivia stops short of completing the sentence, determined not to give the Latina the satisfaction of knowing the full extent of the affect that her absence has had. Natalia opens her mouth, but fumbles her words for a moment before she's able to speak clearly.

**NATALIA **(guiltily, remorsefully): "Olivia, I know it wasn't right for me to just drop out of sight like I did the day of the barbecue without even talking to you about it, but…" (eyes tearing, taking a cautious step towards Olivia) "I never meant to hurt you, baby. I swear."

Olivia steps menacingly towards Natalia, grabs her arm roughly, and begins to shove her towards the door.

**OLIVIA **(bitterly): "Get out!"

**NATALIA **: "No, Liv, please listen to me."

**OLIVIA **(continuing to manhandle Natalia as she hustles the Latina towards the exit): "I said _**out**_!"

**NATALIA **(pleadingly) : "Olivia, please… I have to tell you something…"

**OLIVIA **(furiously): "I don't want to hear _**anything**_ you have to say!"

**NATALIA **(blurting out, desperately): "_Olivia, I'm pregnant_!"

And with those three little words, the world stops spinning. That's all it takes for Olivia's life to come to an abrupt, screeching halt. She freezes. After a second, she slowly, silently loosens her grip on Natalia's arm.

**NATALIA **: "I'd just found out right before the picnic." (stopping to take a deep breath) "That's why I left."

The words seep in slowly and have the impact of a physical body blow on the older woman. Though her actions are angry, the tears in her eyes betray her fury. She releases the other woman and her arms shoot out sharply to her sides in an incredulous gesture. Her mouth is a tight, thin line, her jaw clenched.

**OLIVIA **(sarcastically) : "_Congratulations_! I'm sure you and Frank will be very happy together. You should have married him in the first place, _like I told you to!_ Now, for the love of **God**, _get out of here and_ _leave me alone_."

Olivia turns on her heels and heads for her bedroom.

**NATALIA **(crying, pleadingly) : "Olivia, please…"

Suddenly there's another knock at the door.

**OLIVIA **(spinning around angrily) : "_What the_…"

**CHILD'S VOICE **(from outside the door) : "Mommy?"

Both women instantly recognize Emma's voice. Olivia glares at Natalia for a second before brushing past her to go open the door. There she finds her younger daughter chaperoned by her father.

**EMMA** (excitedly, jumping into Olivia's arms) : "Mommy!!"

**OLIVIA **(smiling sadly, hugging her daughter) : "Hey, Jellybean. What are you doing here? You're supposed to be taking care of Daddy at his new house."

**PHILLIP **: "Emma decided she wanted to take me swimming, but she'd left her suit here, so…"

The 8-year-old peers past her birth mother as her parents speak to each other and spots her "other mother".

**EMMA **(squealing with excitement) : "Natalia!!!"

The little girl sprints to the raven-haired beauty and almost tackles the woman as she launches herself at her "other mother" roughly for an overenthusiastic hug.

**OLIVIA **(worriedly) : "Emma, be careful."

**NATALIA **(smiling sadly) : "Hi, baby."

Natalia kisses the top of the little girl's head. The 8-year-old turns to look up into the face of the adult holding her.

**EMMA** : "I missed you so much!!"

**NATALIA **(smiling down at her "daughter"): "I missed you, too, sweetheart."

**EMMA **: "Mommy missed you, too. _A lot!! _She wasn't eating or sleeping and she was crying all the time because you were gone."

Natalia ventures a quick, remorseful glance at her love over their daughter's head only to find the older woman anxiously avoiding eye contact.

**EMMA **(excitedly): "But now that you're back, she won't be sad anymore. I'm so happy you're home!!"

**PHILLIP **(sincerely, with a smile) : "It's good to see you, Natalia. Welcome home."

**NATALIA **(smiling sadly): "Thanks, Phillip. It's good to _be_ home."

Emma stands unsteadily on tip-toe, reaching up for the Latina's shoulders, trying to get the woman to lift her. Olivia realizes what the little girl is doing. Her anger is then overridden by genuine concern for the health and safety of the woman who is, in spite of everything, her world. She calls to her child.

**OLIVIA **(gently): "Jellybean, Natalia can't pick you up."

Emma's face drops. _It's amazing how much she looks like her mother when she's worried, _Natalia marvels_. _

**EMMA **(looking up at Natalia, slowly, carefully, coming down off her toes, worried): "Why? Are you hurt?"

Natalia shakes her head and opens her mouth to speak, but is pre-empted by Olivia who charges forth with a reply.

**OLIVIA **: "No, sweetie. It's just that you're growing so fast that it's hard for Natalia to carry you anymore. You're getting to be a big girl, you know?"

Emma doesn't quite buy that convenient explanation, but she knows better than to challenge her mother.

**EMMA **(keeping a possessive arm around Natalia's waist and leaning into her, confused): "Oh, o-ok."

Though Phillip doesn't know exactly what's happening between the two women, he senses they were in the middle of an important discussion. The tension in the air is palpable, and he makes a discreet attempt to give them back their privacy.

**PHILLIP **(pretending to be excited): "Well, come on, Em. You promised me we were going swimming. Grab your suit. Let's go."

The little girl looks up at the Latina and studies her face.

**EMMA **(fearfully) : "You're not leaving again, are you?"

**NATALIA **(sincerely) : "No, baby. I'm not going anywhere. I'm home for good now. I promise." (drops to her knees in front of Emma to look her in the eyes and takes the little girls hands, wanting to reassure her) "Sweetie, I owe you and your mom an apology. I'm really, really sorry that I left without saying good-bye and that I was gone for so long, but, uh, well… I just… had to… be alone so I could think about some things. But I'm all done thinking now and I'm home and I really want us all to be friends again just like before. Can we do that? Do you forgive me?"

**EMMA **(smiling happily) : "Sure. I wasn't mad at you. I was just worried."

**NATALIA **(softly): "Thank you. Can I have a hug and a kiss?"

Beaming, the little girl throws her arms around Natalia's neck and the two share a kiss on the cheek. After a moment, Natalia pulls back, keeping her hands on the little girl's upper arms, and looks into the child's face, remaining on her knees before the child.

**NATALIA **(chancing another quick glance at Olivia, ensuring that the hotelier is listening before whispering conspiratorially to Emma) : "Do you think your mom will forgive me and let me talk to her about the decisions I made while I was gone?"

Olivia grimaces as she thinks to herself, _That was dirty pool, Rivera._

**EMMA **(giggling) : "Of course she will. She loves you. She just wants you back."

Out of the mouths of babes indeed. Olivia feels completely exposed and tries desperately to cover her unease by interrupting the conversation.

**OLIVIA **(clearing her throat, uncomfortably): "Em, your father's waiting for you."

The child looks over to her parents and then back to her would-be second mom uncertainly.

**NATALIA **(smiling, reassuringly as she caresses the cherub's face): "It's ok, baby. I'll be right here and I'll see you in a little while. Scout's honor, ok?" (prodding the child towards her bedroom as she gets to her feet) "Go on. Go get your suit."

Emma disappears into the next room only to return instantly, bathing suit in hand.

**EMMA **: "Got it." (turning to hug Natalia) "Bye, Natalia."

**NATALIA **(returning the child's hug) : "Bye, baby."

Emma breaks from Natalia and runs to Olivia, grabbing her in a fierce hug.

**EMMA **: "Bye, Mommy."

**OLIVIA **(returning her daughter's hug, planting a gentle kiss on the child's head) : "Bye, baby. Have fun. And call me later."

Mother and daughter break away from the hug and Emma turns to leave. Phillip leans forward towards his ex-wife and the two parents share a kiss on the cheek.

**OLIVIA **(to Phillip): "Bye."

**PHILLIP **(touching her arm reassuringly): "Bye, Liv." (turning to Natalia) "Bye, Nat."

Natalia smiles and nods in acknowledgement.

**OLIVIA **(calling after father's and daughter's retreating forms) "Be careful in the pool… and take care of your father, ok?"

Once Emma and Phillip are out of sight, Olivia closes the door with slow deliberation. With the same slow deliberation, she turns and faces the woman she loves. Now eyeing each other anxiously, both women have the same thought at the same time. _What now?_


	2. Chapter 2

With a deep sigh of resignation, Olivia turns back to the woman she loves most in the world, her face still stern.

**NATALIA **(reading Olivia's face, nervously) : "Ok, you're mad. I get that. If I were you, I'd be mad at me, too." (pausing for a second) "If you want to yell at me, yell at me. I deserve it." (holding her breath) "Then, once you've gotten that off your chest, maybe you'll listen to what I want to tell you?"

Olivia shoots Natalia a you-can't-_possibly_-be-serious look.

**NATALIA **(pleading, voice cracking): "Please, Olivia. Do whatever you have to, call me whatever you want, curse me out, whatever, but please don't shut me out. _Please_ talk to me."

Olivia's breathing becomes labored. Her eyes shift momentarily as she prepares to speak.

**OLIVIA **(angrily, but with a ring of pain): "We were _happy_, Natalia. I know not everything was perfect because Rafe was still having a problem with us being together… but we were _really_ happy with each other." (eyes tearing) "I was on cloud 9. I could not _wait_ to tell Emma about us, to show up at that barbecue with you on my arm and shout to the world that you and I are a couple. I was so proud. I wanted everyone to know that the smartest, funniest, most sensitive, most selfless, most caring, most beautiful woman in the world is _mine_… but you didn't come."(a sob escapes from her lips) "_You didn't come_, Natalia. And then Blake told me you didn't want to see me and I was so _confused_. All I wanted was to see you, just to talk to you so we could fix whatever the problem was together, but you disappeared for _three weeks_ and I missed you so much and I was in so much pain... I couldn't understand. I just couldn't understand why you would leave without talking to me, without even saying goodbye. I thought I must have done something wrong, something to upset you for you to leave me like that and I was scared that you didn't feel anything for me anymore… or maybe that you never really did. And then I thought maybe I just don't deserve to be loved, that I'm not meant to have that kind of happiness…"(sobbing) "that you changed your mind and wanted to be with Frank after all. Lord knows he'd take you back in a heartbeat anytime…"

Olivia is unable to go on as, against her will, her throat constricts as she begins to cry in earnest. Natalia begins to cry as well, the reality of what she'd done to the love of her life causing her unbearable guilt. She quickly moves to Olivia, slips her arms around the older woman, holds her close, and rocks her soothingly.

**NATALIA **(voice full of regret): "I know how awful that was for you, baby, and I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, but you have to know that none of that is true. You didn't do anything wrong or upset me… and my feelings for you are real and they haven't gone anywhere. I swear, it's just that…" (struggling for words, sighing deeply) "Come here."

Natalia leads Olivia to the couch and then sits across from her on the coffee table. She takes Olivia's hands and begins her explanation.

**NATALIA **: "Sweetie… the day before the barbecue, I took a pregnancy test and it came up positive. It scared the life out of me. I didn't know what I was going to tell Frank or how he'd take it, and I _certainly _didn't know what to say to you. I was so afraid that you wouldn't want to be with me anymore because I'm carrying Frank's baby… and I was confused, too, about why this would happen now and what it all means. I couldn't think clearly and I figured if I just got away somewhere quiet for a little while, maybe, just maybe I could make some sense out of all this and figure out what was the right thing to do. But no matter how I looked at it, I kept coming back to one thing."

Natalia takes Olivia's face gently in her hands and stares adoringly into the older woman's jade eyes.

**NATALIA **: "I love you. And I want to be with you. I'll have to tell Frank about the baby and I'm sure he'll want to be a part of this baby's life, but I want to have this baby with _you_. I want to _raise_ it with _you_. I want to raise _Emma_ with you. And Rafe…" (bobbing her head comically) "well, Rafe's already been raised, but I want all of us, you, me, Rafe, Emma, and this baby to live together and to be a family. Maybe I'm crazy, but I want that _so_ much." (regarding the older woman cautiously, uncertainly) "I figured _that _out, and now I need to know what _you_ want. Now that you know about the baby, you have to figure out what your feelings are, whether you still want to be with me, especially since now being with me also means taking on the new baby."

Olivia leans back into the couch tiredly, slipping her hands out of the Latina's and looking away.

**NATALIA **(clearly reading Olivia's body language) : "Ok, um… I guess I can't ask you to sort through everything and make a decision right this second." (wiping her tears, speaking softly) "Take all the time you need. I'm not going anywhere."

With that, the raven-haired beauty stands, bends at the waist, and takes the older woman's face in her hands once again.

**NATALIA **(staring intently into jade eyes): "I'll respect whatever decision you make, but I had to let you know how I feel and where I stand on all of this." (slipping her arms around Olivia's neck to embrace her, whispering) "I love you."

And with a quick kiss to the hotelier's cheek, the Latina raises herself back up to a standing position, turns, and walks quietly out the door. The green eyes of the hotel-owner begin to tear again as she sinks back down to a lying position, curling arms and legs into herself protectively.


	3. Chapter 3

The following morning, Olivia steps into her office and walks to her desk to find a red rose and a card awaiting her. She smiles softly as she gingerly lays her purse and briefcase down on her desk and gently lowers herself into her luxurious, top-of-the-line office chair. Slowly, hesitantly, she opens the card and reads,

_Olivia,_

_I just wanted you to know that I'm always thinking about you. You're always on my mind and in my heart. I love you._

_Natalia_

She smiles wearily, the issue weighing heavily upon her, tears forming in her eyes. A moment later, her door is slowly swinging open to reveal an anxious Latina cautiously approaching.

**NATALIA **(meekly): "Hi."

**OLIVIA **(smiling softly) : "Hey." (holding the card up to Natalia, speaking softly, drying her eyes) "Thanks for the flower and the card. It was very sweet."

**NATALIA **(sincerely) : "I meant every word." (smiling, jokingly) "It's not a bribe. I'm not trying to buy you or anything."

Olivia chuckles softly. A dreamy look crosses the Latina's face.

**NATALIA **(staring intently into Olivia's green eyes as she caresses Olivia's cheek, speaking softly): "I just don't want you to forget how I feel about you."

Natalia pauses a moment before leaning down, hugging Olivia, and kissing her on the cheek.

**NATALIA **(slowly, reluctantly stepping back from Olivia, voice soft and shy) : "So… any chance I can get my old job back?"

**OLIVIA **(smiling): "Of course."

**NATALIA **(smiling happily) : "Then let's get to work."

Olivia spends the next hour helping Natalia get caught up on everything work-related that she missed during her sabbatical. The Latina then sets off to do her job with the same determination she always had. For the next eight hours, both women continue to focus on work. As a byproduct, the environment starts to feel familiar to both and they start slowly, gradually feeling comfortable with each other again. At the end of the day, they part amiably. The next day, both women return to the office and pick up right where they left off with little difficulty. Two hours into the schedule, Natalia takes advantage of a quiet moment. Drawing in a deep breath, she gathers her courage, and goes out on a limb.

**NATALIA **(starting cautiously) : "Hey, uh…"

Olivia drags her eyes away from the file in her hand to lift them up until jade eyes meet chocolate brown.

**NATALIA **: "D-do you.. have any… plans for lunch… today?"

**OLIVIA **(gently): "No."

**NATALIA **(nervously): "W-well, I was hoping… maybe you and I… could have lunch… alone."

At Olivia's hesitation, the Latina jumps to reassure the older woman.

**NATALIA **(gently): "I'm not trying to pressure you. I'd just like us to spend a little time together, that's all. I mean, if you want… if that's ok."

Slowly Olivia nods. The two women later enjoy a casual midday meal together at a nearby restaurant in relative comfort, leaving both of their hearts just a little bit lighter. At the end of the day, as she's preparing to leave for home, Natalia turns to say good-bye to Olivia. Without hesitation, she envelopes the older woman tightly in her arms. To Natalia's surprise and delight, Olivia's arms hesitantly come up to encircle the Latina's waist.

**NATALIA **(speaking softly): "Have a good night."

Both women relish the contact and savor it.

**NATALIA **(whispering in Olivia's ear) : "I love you."

Natalia turns her face and gives the green-eyed woman a kiss on the cheek.

**OLIVIA **(in a hushed tone, heart racing madly): "I'll see you tomorrow."

Reluctantly they end the embrace. Natalia slowly makes her way out the door. Olivia's eyes follow the dark-haired woman until she disappears behind the closing door, a small smile edging out of the corners of her mouth. The next day, the two women have been hard at work for several hours when Olivia suddenly finishes writing in the file before her, closes the file, carefully lays her pen down, and takes a deep breath. Letting that breath out, the hotel owner closes her eyes, brings her hand to the back of her own neck and starts working her fingers up and down overexerted muscles.

**NATALIA **(looking over at Olivia with concern) : "You ok?"

**OLIVIA **(face tense, voice gruff) : "Yeah, just a little sore and stiff."

**NATALIA **(standing up and walking behind Olivia, stopping Olivia's hand) : "Here, let me."

Olivia turns and fixes Natalia with a curious look before dropping her hand and turning back around. Natalia's fingers begin kneading her love's neck and shoulders. Each woman feels her pulse race at the contact. After several minutes, Olivia's neck and shoulder muscles start to relax.

**NATALIA **(gently) : "Better?"

**OLIVIA **(speaking quietly, smiling softly) : "Much. Thank you."

**NATALIA **(softly): "You're welcome."

The Latina gently caresses the hotelier's upper arms and places a soft kiss to her temple.

**OLIVIA **(matter-of-factly) : "I'll feel even better once I've eaten. You hungry?"

**NATALIA **(smiling cheerfully) : "Starving. Do you want to go grab a bite somewhere?"

**OLIVIA **(getting to her feet) : "Yeah."

And thus, for the next several days, having lunch alone together once again becomes a daily ritual for the couple as it had been prior to the Latina's vanishing act. The couple continues to grow more comfortable and familiar with one another as they had previously been. They continue to show each other increasingly more affection as they had done before with gentle touches, hugs, and kisses on the cheek. On the third day, after lunch, the two women return to the office and take a moment to finish their coffee and catch their breath before returning their focus to business.

**OLIVIA **(cheerfully): "Wow. That salmon was wonderful."

**NATALIA **(happily): "Yeah, my lobster was great, too."

**OLIVIA **: "We gotta go back there sometime."

**NATALIA **(nervously): "Yeah, uh… but what do you say we… try someplace new… tonight? I mean… if you don't… have any other plans?"

At Olivia's perplexed expression, the Latina clarifies her statement.

**NATALIA **(with a pleading look): "Would you… have dinner with me… tonight?"

Unsure of how the invitation will be received by the older woman, despite their growing ease with one another, the raven-haired beauty holds her breath as she awaits a response. For a second, Olivia's face holds no expression. A second later, however, her eyes begin to light up and a genuine, heartfelt smile plays across her soft lips.

**OLIVIA **(smiling nervously): "Ok."

**TBC**


End file.
